One of her 3in heels penetrated his eye, fractured the socket, entered his brain and damaged a blood vessel.

The court heard that Mr Taylor suffered life-threatening injuries but made a "remarkable" recovery. He refused to co-operate with the police or to give evidence at the trial.

As Ms Hargreaves left Bradford crown court she said that she and Taylor were no longer together.

"I wouldn't plead guilty because I wanted to keep my good name," she said.

The jury had heard from police statements by Ms Hargreaves that Mr Taylor was a violent man when drunk and had left her with black eyes at least twice.

Before the trial, the judge was also told of several convictions Mr Taylor has for violence.

In 2005 he was jailed for 16 months for false imprisonment after an incident in Greater Manchester in which a man was tied up and put in a car boot before he was driven to a river where he eventually drowned.

Ms Hargreaves had elected for trial despite being offered the chance to admit a lesser charge before the case started.

She was acquitted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and an alternative charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.